“Calling Mr. Lonely Hearts” was written by Laura Benedict, a resident of Southern Illinois. The 2008 novel centers on three women who have been best friends since childhood: Roxanne, Del and Alice. The story shifts between a few years when they went to a Cincinnati Catholic school and the present-day.
The reader is introduced to the girls as they play at a ritual that’s supposed to conjure a man who will be their “boyfriend.” The spell is led by Roxanne, the manipulative leader of the group. Alice is the neediest of the group, and she succumbs to enduring the humiliation of being the “sacrifice.” Things go awry, but Alice claims to have seen the being they called up. Their games become more dangerous as they get older.
Their story is one of secrets and lies. The girls have a secret they share about the lies they told concerning a terrible incident they caused. They ruined someone’s life many years ago, and they realize that their actions also came with a price for them.
The girls have grown up, though they all still live in Cincinnati. Roxanne is a successful artist. Del married a widower who has a young daughter. Alice married Thad, and their marriage is disintegrating due in part to her inability to conceive. The friends’ lives took different paths, but they remain close.
Benedict builds suspense with the careful introduction of characters using descriptive language that often seems darkly lyrical. Each person plays out the destiny that was laid out for them years ago, with frightening results for them and their loved ones. The book might be best described as a “spiritual thriller” considering the sinister, unseen forces that intertwine the lives of the three best friends.
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